Page 111 of Stolen Moments

“Yup.”

“But…”

“I know.”

“Lizzie,” we both say.

“It shocked the hell out of me too. Lex and I sat in the office while our parents laid out the timeline. After Lex graduated from business school and worked for the company, we would announce our engagement, and then Lex would be appointed as CEO. Turns out, Alfred was holding the company over Lex’s head, and the only way he would receive his birthright was if he broke up with Lizzie and married me so that we could unite the companies.”

“Holy fucking shit.” Chris shakes his head in shock.

“I know. It would have been huge. Westfield Media and Rhodes Publishing uniting.”

“Uniting” is an understatement. Their union would be beyond lucrative. They would become a powerhouse in the industry and could expand globally.

“Anyway, after the meeting in the office, Lex and I met up separately. We figured we could fake this whole thing. I would live here, and he would work on his parents. He thought he could get them to accept Elizabeth with more time. So while they thought they had the upper hand, they didn’t. It was only a matter of time until it all blew up in their faces. Instead, it blew up in my face.”

“What do you mean? I thought you were getting out of it.”

“I was. I did,” I clarify with a huff. This is harder to explain than I thought it would be. “I knew Lex would never go through with this. He has been in love with Elizabeth since we were children. But then—”

“Lizzie left him,” Chris interrupts me. “That’s why you needed my help, right? Why you wanted me to call Flip?”

“Yup. She was tired of Lex being a coward and not standing up for her and their relationship. But instead of chasing after her, thedummy pivoted. He decided to go all-in on the fake engagement and arranged marriage with me.”

“What a dumbass. So, where does Mason breaking up with you fit into all this?”

“Fourth of July, he showed up at the party, surprising me. I had just finished telling Sinclair and Cybil to shove it up their asses, which of course ended in us getting cut off, and I ran into him. He was standing at the office door when I opened it. We went out onto the overlook to talk. Lex, of course, picks that time to show up and call me his fiancée. Mason blew a fucking gasket. We argued. He walked away, and I haven’t heard from him since.”

I leave out the part of me finding out he’s related to my business partner’s husband, and the goodbye-fucking in the bathroom. Some things, a little brother just doesn’t need to know.

“Damn. I’m sorry, Emmy. I thought he was different.” Chris wraps his arm around me and pulls us back against the headboard.

Taking comfort in his hold for once is a nice change to our dynamic. I always felt like I had to be the one there for him, not the other way around.

“So did I. The worst part is that Mason never let me explain. He just automatically assumed I was a cheating liar.”

“His loss,” Chris states flatly.

Then why does it feel more like mine?

My insides are hollowed out, and all I want to do is sit around and cry into a box of cookies and a bottle of wine.

“I swear, if Lex doesn’t find Lizzie and grovel, I’m going to kick him in his balls for his role in all this.”

“Ha! Can you imagine Lizzie kicking him? She’s so tiny. I doubt her dainty foot could do damage.” Chris cackles, making me laugh at the picture he’s painted.

It feels good to finally laugh with my brother, even if everything else in my life feels dull without Mason.

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For being here. For hopping on a plane to see me. For not judging me.”

“Never, Ems. You’re my girl. I’ll always be here for you.”

Just like all those years ago, my loneliness melts away. Only this time, it’s my baby brother holding me.

---